Silva adds longtime mentor to staff

Sunday

Jan 13, 2013 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - Mayor Anthony Silva, now installed into Stockton's top political office, plans to hire a person from his inner circle onto his staff at City Hall who will serve as his second set of eyes and ears.

Scott Smith

STOCKTON - Mayor Anthony Silva, now installed into Stockton's top political office, plans to hire a person from his inner circle onto his staff at City Hall who will serve as his second set of eyes and ears.

Silva, 39, announced in his inaugural speech Tuesday that the appointment will go to Sharon Simas, a onetime Stocktonian of the Year and now human resources director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stockton, where Silva retains the title of executive director.

"She has been my angel in life the past few years," Silva said in his speech. "She's been there to protect me and defend me."

Silva later said in an interview that he has yet to work out the details, like how much Simas will earn. Yet, Silva said the city charter allows the mayor to have an assistant. Both mayors Ed Chavez and Gary Podesto had an executive assistant.

Past-Mayor Ann Johnston, whom Silva defeated in the Nov. 6 election, had a secretary to answer her phone calls. Silva wants Simas to take on wider duties than a secretary.

Simas, 66, said she is honored by Silva's offer and agreed to the position even before learning the terms of compensation. Simas said she and Silva work well together because she is a political enthusiast who has lived in Stockton all of her life.

More importantly, Simas said she believes in Silva.

"I'm truly doing it because I love the city and I love what he stands for," said Simas, who's late father, Manuel Silveria, served on the Stockton City Council. "I don't even know what the salary is. Isn't that something?"

The two met in 2004 when Silva first ran for a seat on the Stockton Unified School Board. They jointly own a Morada home, which is rented out now that Silva lives in the University Waterfront Plaza Hotel.

Simas has worked at the Boys & Girls Club for nearly three years. For 15 years before that she was vice president of Service First of Northern California, a nonprofit agency that provides support services for developmentally disabled adults.

She became Stocktonian of the Year in 1998 in recognition of her service with the United Way, Rotary and Boys & Girls Club, among others.

Once on the job, Simas said she envisions helping with Silva's scheduling, performing research, attending some meetings with him and standing in for him at events when he's stretched thin.

"He reminds me of my own son," she said. "But my son could care less about politics."

Douglass Wilhoit, Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce CEO and a former county supervisor, said taking an office such as mayor of Stockton can at first be a shock. Simas is the right choice to help Silva navigate the political landscape, he said.

"She knows a lot of people, and she's respected by a lot of people," Wilhoit said. "I think she'll do a good job."

Simas intends to sever her ties with the Boys & Girls Club upon moving into City Hall, avoiding a potential conflict of interest. Simas is on the club's board of directors and therefore his boss.

As for the house in Morada he owns with Simas, Silva said he will take her off the title to keep from running afoul of the city charter, which prohibits the mayor from appointing a business associate.

Silva, whose mother passed away when he graduated from high school, said Simas has seen him at his highs and lows in life.

"She is my most trusted mentor in life," Silva said. "She always gives it to me straight. She doesn't sugarcoat the truth."

Simas is not the only one in Silva's inner circle who remains active in his transition from the hard-fought campaign trail to his second-floor office at City Hall.

Paul Amador, 28, prepared news releases for Silva's campaign, among other duties, and he remains a loyal supporter and friend.

Silva taught Amador at age 12 to swim, and Amador is also grateful that Silva gave his sister a job when she was struggling.

Helping out in Silva's bid for mayor was natural, Amador said.

"It was really a team effort helping Anthony," said Amador, who made the news in 2010 for donating a kidney to a stranger so his older sister, Laura, could receive a kidney from another compatible donor.

N. Allen Sawyer is also in Silva's corner. Sawyer, 44, quietly worked behind the scenes on Silva's campaign, and he sat front and center during Silva's swearing-in led by former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.

Sawyer, 44, was convicted - and in 2011 exonerated - along with former San Joaquin County Sheriff Baxter Dunn in a federal corruption case. The highly publicized case brought down former lawman Monte McFall, then-county Supervisor Lynn Bedford and his aide J. Tyler Reves.

Sawyer has since rebuilt his reputation as an international businessman and political consultant, mostly lending his expertise to Democratic candidates all over California.

Silva is a Republican, but Sawyer said he gladly crossed the political divide and joined Silva's team as a volunteer because Silva has a lot to offer Stockton.

"It's a tough town, and he mirrors that really well," Sawyer said. Silva does "a lot more ... than liberal elites that like to go to cocktail parties and talk about what they're going to do for the little people."

Silva has yet to name a vice mayor from the six City Council members. That announcement could come at Tuesday's council meeting.